I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: The Fierce Second Brother

Zhao Wendong took a deep breath and slowly turned to the Educated Youth.

"So what if she’s a capitalist’s daughter? Is a capitalist’s daughter not human? Does that mean you can just bully her whenever you want?"

"Her family’s property has been confiscated, she’s been sent down to the countryside, and her parents have been arrested. Hasn’t she already been punished? What gives you the right to keep treating her like this!"

Suppressing the fury in his heart, Zhao Wendong finished speaking and turned his gaze back to the three female Educated Youth. They were the ones who lived with Lin Zhiyin day in and day out. They were the ones who hurt her the most.

"The food she earned with her own labor, that she exchanged her work points for—you just decide she can’t eat it, and that’s that?"

"You make her wash your clothes and do your chores, and you even steal the food that rightfully belongs to her. What’s the difference between your behavior and that of the capitalists you’re always condemning? And you have the nerve to call yourselves glorious members of the working class, models who volunteered to build up the countryside? Pah!"

Lin Zhiyin lifted her head in confusion to look at Zhao Wendong. ’Is this guy for real? We’re not friends, we’re not related... why is he suddenly sticking up for me out of nowhere?’

None of the Educated Youth had expected such a logical, well-reasoned argument from Zhao Wendong. He left them utterly speechless.

One of the female Educated Youth’s eyes darted about before she yelled out.

"Zhao Wendong, this is our station’s business! It has nothing to do with you!"

"That’s right! Stop being such a busybody!"

Zhao Wendong’s gaze swept over them, a sneer on his face.

"How is it not my business?"

"Our Great Leader teaches us that the people are the masters of the country. Well, I am one of the people, so isn’t everything my business?"

"He also said: ’Where there is oppression, there is resistance!’ Search your own consciences. Aren’t you oppressing Lin Zhiyin right now? So what’s wrong with resisting you!"

"And he also said: ’It is not hard for one to do a bit of good. What is hard is to do good all one’s life!’ I’m not asking you to do good for a lifetime. Just look at what you’re doing right now. Can any of it be called a good deed?"

This super-combo of contemporary political rhetoric from Zhao Wendong completely stunned the Educated Youth. Even the seaside air seemed to fall quiet. The entire scene was silent. Behind him, Lin Zhiyin’s eyes, fixed on his back, held a peculiar and astonished expression.

"Zhao Wendong, you... you’re full of shit! She’s a capitalist’s daughter! You’re just twisting words!"

"That’s right! Her class background is bad, so we don’t let her eat and we make her work. What’s wrong with that!"

"Get lost! Don’t come to our station to cause trouble!"

"If he doesn’t leave, let’s beat him up!"

"Yeah, kill him!"

Zhao Wendong laughed dismissively, shrugging with a look of pure contempt.

"See? You’re getting all worked up again. Don’t you always claim to be such cultured city folk? When you can’t win an argument against me, you start with the threats? So in the end, it all just comes down to who has the bigger fist, is that it?"

"Then why bother pretending to be on the moral high ground all the time?"

"Gonna kill me, are you? Fuck it, come on! I, Zhao Wendong, am not leaving today. Let’s see which one of you dares to make a move."

"Not only am I not leaving today, I’ll be back again and again!"

"Any of you bullies Lin Zhiyin, you’ll have to answer to me. Got it?"

Zhao Wendong’s attitude completely infuriated the Educated Youth.

"Pah! Zhao Wendong, who the hell do you think you’re fooling?"

"Yeah, anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re the production team leader."

"Our station isn’t a place for you to just come and cause trouble! We’ll beat you every time you show your face here!"

"Zhao Wendong, are you leaving or not? If you don’t, don’t blame us for what happens next."

"He’s fallen for Lin Zhiyin, hasn’t he? A lazy good-for-nothing and a filthy capitalist miss, hahaha."

Zhao Wendong looked at the laughing Sun Zhiguo. He rolled his wrists, a knowing expression on his face.

"How did you know I’ve fallen for her?"

Those few words instantly cut off Sun Zhiguo’s laughter. Behind them, Lin Zhiyin’s heart skipped a beat. Everyone stared at Zhao Wendong in disbelief, including his second brother, Zhao Wenwu.

She was a capitalist’s daughter! In times like these, people couldn’t run away from someone like that fast enough. Was Zhao Wendong insane, deliberately getting close to and liking someone with such a problematic background?

"Zhao Wendong, are you blind or just stupid? You’ve fallen for her?"

"Other people use their mouths to eat. You use yours to spew shit? You’d better shut it before you attract some shit-eating wild dog to crawl down your throat for a feast!"

Zhao Wendong’s sharp retort nearly made Sun Zhiguo choke. They had no idea just how venomous his tongue could be.

"He’s in league with the capitalists! He’s a counter-revolutionary—"

Sun Zhiguo had a sudden idea. He pointed a finger at Zhao Wendong, ready to slap a political label on him. But before he could finish, a fist seemed to fill his vision, smashing directly into his face.

"Counter-revolutionary my ass! You talk too much shit. I’ve been putting up with you for a long time!"

Zhao Wendong attacked without warning, feinting at the eyes before landing a powerful straight punch, followed by a flurry of kicks. In an instant, Sun Zhiguo had lost all ability to fight back. But Zhao Wendong’s attack spurred the other Educated Youth to action.

"He’s hitting him! He’s hitting him!"

"Zhao Wendong, how dare you!"

"Get him!"

"Go!"

The remaining four male Educated Youth swarmed forward. Zhao Wendong quickly took a step back, ready to dodge their attack and then counter, when a dark shadow WHOOSHED past him. It was his second brother, Zhao Wenwu!

Two of the four youths were sent flying on the spot. Zhao Wenwu grabbed another with both hands and flung him violently. The man flew several meters, screaming wildly, before landing with a THUD, unable to get back up.

The last one standing watched the advancing Zhao Wenwu and swallowed hard. ’This is terrifying,’ he thought. ’There were four of us... In the blink of an eye, I’m the only one left.’

"W-Wenwu... we used to play together... D-do you remember?"

Zhao Wenwu simply hoisted him up, leaving his legs kicking wildly in the air.

"Whoever messes with my third brother, I mess with them. Doesn’t matter if we used to play together!"

"We didn’t even touch him—AAAAHHH!"

BANG—!

Before the youth could finish, Zhao Wenwu smashed him directly against the wall. There was a muffled grunt, and then the world fell silent.

The three female Educated Youth were scared stiff, their mouths hanging open as tears welled in their eyes.

Zhao Wendong was a little dumbfounded himself. He knew his second brother was strong, but he’d never imagined he was this savage! ’Isn’t he basically a human tank?’

Seeing Zhao Wenwu’s eyes were bloodshot and he looked ready to deal out more punishment to the downed youths, Zhao Wendong quickly grabbed him. His brother was fierce, alright—a little too fierce. He was hard to control, and if you weren’t careful, he could easily kill someone.

Zhao Wendong walked into the middle of the youths sprawled on the ground and sneered.

"So, tell me. Can I come to your station and cause trouble or not?"

"You can, you can! Forget causing trouble, you can come here to take a piss for all we care!"

The male youths were thoroughly terrified and immediately submitted.

Zhao Wendong then turned to the three female Educated Youth.

"Are you going to keep making Lin Zhiyin wash your clothes for you?"

"No, no, we won’t!"

The three of them shook their heads in unison, terrified that Zhao Wendong would beat them up too.

"From now on, whatever you eat, Lin Zhiyin eats. However much you eat, she eats! If I find out you’re bullying her again, I’ll throw you into the sea to feed the sharks!"

"I’m not bullying you, so you don’t bully her. All I want is some goddamn fairness!"

"Got it?!"

Zhao Wendong roared the last two words, his voice suddenly booming. Everyone flinched, and the three women burst into tears, nodding frantically.

"*Sob, sob*... We got it!"

Zhao Wendong nodded with satisfaction, then walked over, took the washbasin from Lin Zhiyin’s hands, and tossed it to the ground.

"Now get back in your rooms. All of you. I don’t want to see your faces again."

The eight Educated Youth—five men and three women—vanished in an instant. The ones wailing on the ground scrambled away faster than rabbits. Even the one Zhao Wenwu had knocked unconscious miraculously came to. The door to the women’s quarters was slammed shut and barred in under three seconds.

Zhao Wendong walked over to Lin Zhiyin, his voice softening without him realizing it.

"Come with me."

Lin Zhiyin’s mind was a mess. Everything that had just happened felt unreal.

The village good-for-nothing had suddenly stood up for her and even beaten up the Educated Youth who bullied her. She was still scared and anxious, but when she heard Zhao Wendong’s words, she hesitated for only a moment before following. ’Given the state he’s in,’ she thought, ’if I don’t listen, he’ll just keep pestering me. That will only lead to more trouble.’

Zhao Wendong strode toward the village, with Lin Zhiyin following silently behind him. Zhao Wenwu brought up the rear, pulling the sleigh. The three of them headed straight for Third Master Zhao’s house.

Zhao Wendong had originally wanted to take Lin Zhiyin to his own home, but he was afraid she would be uncomfortable. ’Besides,’ he thought, ’my family is huge, there’s not enough food or space.’ Third Master Zhao, who lived alone, was the most suitable option.

In truth, the production brigade headquarters would have been a better place to talk, but it was too cold in the winter to stay there for long.

SNORT. HNNNNGH.

The moment the three of them entered, the big brown horse in the outer kitchen snorted twice.

’Why are these two unlucky fools back again? I don’t want to go out with them!’